Trampoline type bouncer toy



Jan. 26, 1965 R. M. BLANCHARD 3,167,312

TRAMPOLINE TYPE BOUNCER TOY Filed Aug. 2, 1962 INVENTOR. R0651? M. BLANCH/1RD ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,167,312 TRAMPOLINE TYPE BOUNCER TOY Roger M. Blanchard, 4819; E. Waverly, Tucson, Ariz. Filed Aug. 2, 1962, Set. No. 214,263 1 Claim. (Cl. 27257) My invention relates to an improved bouncer toy of the trampoline type.

In my issued Patent No. 2,961,235, I disclosed a trampoline type bouncer toy which has very many advantages over devices of the prior art. I have found, however, that this particular toy is relatively expensive to make. Moreover, it involves the use of a relatively large number of pieces, which, while identical, still must be assembled, and for shipping purposes it is desirable that the device be erected by the purchaser so that a generally flat shipping container may be used. Since the purchaser, or even a retail establishment will not have a jig or fixture to simplify the assembly, a relatively long period of time and errors in assembly frequently occur.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is the provision of an improved trampoline type bouncer toy.

Another object is the provision of a bouncer toy which is simply erected, and the cost of which is relatively small.

In the drawings I show a preferred embodiment of my invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view looking partly downwardly on the platform on which the child stands;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view with parts broken away and with the resilient support deleted for the purpose of showing structural features, and

FIG. 4 is a modification in which a compression spring forming part of the device of FIGS. 1 through 3 is deleted.

Referring now to the drawing, the device of the present invention comprises a base adapted to set on a flat surface such as the floor, to which an upright 11 is suitably secured through its flared base 12. Any suitable attaching means between the flared portion 12 and the base 10 may be employed, depending to a considerable extent on the materials used. If, for example, the upright 11 is tubular aluminum and the base 10 also aluminum, suitable welding may be used.

The base and flared portion 12 are covered by a rubber mat 13 which is adhesively secured in position. Above the rubber mat I provide a plurality of relatively large toroidal pneumatic tubes 14, two such tubes being ideal in actual operation. As indicated at 16 in FIG. 2, the bottom pneumatic tube 14 is adhesively secured to the rubber mat 13; and a continuous rubber film 17 indicates that the two pneumatic tubes are also mutually connected along their contacting surfaces when inflated. As shown in the drawings, the tubes 14 are in the general shape of automobile inner tubes, although dimensioned quite differently, and in their normal condition with no load placed upon them. The individual sections are of circular crosssections. It may be said that such toroidally shaped tubes are doughnut shaped except generally they have a larger center opening than the usual doughnut. This arrangement makes it possible to permit the flattening of the tubes as pressure of any kind is applied to them.

A movable platform 18 is held in parallel relation to I the base 10 by attachment to the bottom of a sleeve 19 which is vertically reciprocable on the upright 11. While various attaching means may be employed, I find that good results follow the use of a special flared tubulation 21 which engages threads on the inside of the sleeve 19 and clamps the platform 18 between the flared portion of the tubulation and the bottom end of the sleeve 19.

It is the function of the sleeve 19 t'o provide a firm support for the platform 13 while still permitting free vertical reciprocation of the entire assembly on the upright 11. To obtain this result, I provide a pair of ball races 22 which are suitably secured as by brazing to the inside of the sleeve 11 and have balls 23 snugly engaging against the outside surface of the upright 19. To provide a smooth and hard surface for movement of the balls 23, it is preferable that the sleeve 19 be formed of a relatively hard material such as alloy steel, for example.

Loosely supported around the bottom of the upright 11 between the base 10 and the platform 18 and within the inner diameter of the toroidally shaped pneumatic tubes 14, I provide a helically wound compression spring 24. By reference to FIG. 2 it will be noted that the individual helices are of small diameter where they concide with the major diameter of the tubes 14, but such helices flare out to a maximum diameter above and below the two tubes 14. This structure provides for the nesting of the helices between each other so that at maximum compression a relatively thin configuration is obtained. This prevents the development of a physical block against which the platform 18 can bottom. It also provides for normal lateral displacement of the tubes when they are compressed. By this means, maximum movement of the platform is made possible without coming to a dead stop at any point apt to be reached by the child using the device.

It is desirable, although not strictly necessary, that the platform 18 retain contact with its resilient support so that even under maximum oscillation the platform will not rise above its support. I provide, therefore, a rubber facing 26 on the bottom of the platform 18 and attach the top edge of the uppermost pneumatic tube thereto as by a line of vulcanization, as indicated at 27. The uppermost helix of the compression spring 24 which is, of course, finished fiat in accordance with usual practices, may be secured to the flared portion of member 21 in any suitable manner such as by welding or by the use of mechanical attaching means (not shown). When the device is to be shipped dis-assembled, this attachment, of course, can be deleted. Alternatively, the upright may be releasably attached to its base 12, as by threads, and the device may be shipped relatively flat by removing air from the pneumatic tubes through the usual valves 28 provided for the purpose.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the compression spring 24 is not utilized, but in all other respects the device may be the same as shown in connection with FIGS. 1 through 3. To shorten the description I have applied, therefore, the same reference characters to FIG. 4 which were used in describing the first embodiment with, however, the prefix 1 to show modification.

The scope of the invention is defined by the claim.

I claim:

A bouncer toy comprising:

(a) a base adapted for support on a plane surface;

(b) a generally tubular upright secured to the base centrally thereof;

(c) a sleeve surrounding said upright intermediate its ends;

(a') friction reducing means between the sleeve and upright permitting free relative longitudinal movement while still snugly supporting the sleeve against wobbling and tipping action;

(e) a movable standing platform carried by the sleeve I (1) two superposed resilient toroidally shaped, pneuat a lower end thereof;

matic tubes of relatively large circular cross-section,

said tubes being adhesively secured respectively to 5 said base, to the platform and to each other along a line of mutual contact; and

g) compression spring means comprising a sin gle hjeli cally wound spring in relatively close contact with said pneumatic tubes, the helices of said spring be- 10 ing of relatively small diameter at the maximum tube diameter, and relatively large diameter above and below said ,tubes. 1 7

a r 2 4 l. References Citedb'y the Examiner UNITED STATESV'PATENTS 7/17' Craven. 2,847,217 8/58 Adams et a1.; -1 272-s2.2 2,961,235 11/60 Blanchard 272 Vs7 2,978,243' 4/61 Gabrielson. 3,125,377 3/64] Br g 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 370108 4/32 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PIN KHAM, Primary Examiner. p 

